West Second Street–Swartz Creek Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Second Street–Swartz Creek Bridge
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The bridge in September 2014
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | West Second Street over Swartz Creek, Flint, Michigan |
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| Area | less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1919 |
| Built by | Price Bros. Construction Co. |
| Architect | Flint City Engineer's Office |
| Architectural style | Luten arch bridge |
| MPS | Highway Bridges of Michigan MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001512 |
| Added to NRHP | December 9, 1999 |
The West Second Street–Swartz Creek Bridge is a historic bridge located in Flint, Michigan. It helps West Second Street cross over Swartz Creek. This important bridge was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. This means it is recognized as a special structure with historical importance.
Building the Bridge
The idea for the West Second Street Bridge came about in 1919. The engineers from the Flint City Engineer's Office designed it. They used a special design created by Daniel B. Luten. Luten had a patented arch design, which means he had the legal right to control who used his invention. The city paid a fee, called a royalty, to use his unique bridge shape.
A company called the Illinois Bridge Company, from Chicago, also helped with the design. They were allowed to use Luten's design because they had a special agreement with him.
After the design was ready, the city asked different companies to offer prices to build the bridge. This process is called "soliciting bids." The company that offered the lowest price usually gets the job. In this case, Price Brothers Construction Company from Lansing, Michigan, offered a lower price than the Illinois Bridge Company. So, Price Brothers won the contract to build the bridge.
Construction on the bridge began in the summer of 1919. It was finished in early 1920. Since then, the bridge has been used continuously by cars and other vehicles.
What the Bridge Looks Like
The West Second Street Bridge is about 70 feet long. It uses a special design called a Luten arch. An arch bridge gets its strength from its curved shape, which helps distribute weight.
The part of the bridge where cars drive is made of asphalt. On both sides of the road, there are sidewalks made of concrete. These sidewalks stick out from the main structure, almost like shelves.
The bridge crosses the creek at an angle, not straight across. This is called being "heavily skewed." Large concrete supports, called abutments, hold up the ends of the bridge. These abutments support the main arch, which has a smooth, oval-like shape.
The arch itself has a decorative edge called a corbeled arch ring. Along the sides of the bridge, there are concrete railings with decorative posts, known as cast concrete balusters. These features add to the bridge's classic look.
